‘’Welcome, my name is Emma May,’’ she said, glaring at Rose until she moved off the chair, awkwardly. “This shop belongs to me. Do you admire it?’’ Rose didn’t know what to say so she just nodded her head uncontrollably while her cheeks blushed pink and red. “Here is my Book of Wonders, you are free to browse around my beautiful shop but do not touch the book!’’ warned the owner.

Milliseconds later, Emma May had disappeared with a swish of her never ending, red velvet gown behind a curtain so that Rose was alone. Retreating back, she opened the leather bound book. Each fresh page contained a different scheme for some sort of magical world. There were drawings and notes about cities, towns, countries, villages, forests, savanas, oceans, mountains and more. In each place there were wonders beyond imagination and curiosity.

The next thing Rose knew, there was a fountain pen in her hand and she was drawing an island and inside the island there was a stilt house, and through the window, she drew the outline of the one and only thing that she longed for most of all.

“Follow me, ” said the Siamese fat cat. Rose closed the book and without thinking for even a second she followed. She opened the peignoir door and entered. She stepped, not into a room, but into a tropical island. Sunlight filtered through the palm trees. She paused and listened. It was quite peaceful, except for the sound of the birds fluttering through the trees. A path scattered away from her, towards the most beautiful stilt house ever imagined. The most strangest thing was that it all looked exactly as she had imagined; exactly as she had drawn inside Emma May’s Book of Wonders. Without even breathing, without  even looking back, without any bother, Rose ran down the path towards the unimaginable stilt house. 

Her head spun round, the house had everything that she needed: a cozy dream living room with a emerald sofa; a wood fire burning brightly like the burning hot sun; a massive kitchen with shiny golden cups and expensive edition  plates and a cooker that shined like freshly brushed teeth; a table that was set for two with a tea set and the pot was filled with delicious creamy cookies; and a plate of toasted teacakes ready to be eaten. “Hello,” shouted Rose, wondering if anyone else was there. But she was met with thin silence.

A moment later, she heard the sound. Twirling  round, she pushed the living room door open. It was then that she saw a dark shadow-shape trodded towards her: violet eyes bulged out of a ugly head and its face turned red like a picture of mars glued to its face; and razor sharp spikes clawed the ground like a lion on full range. There was no thinking this time. Rose shoved the door open and, as fast as her legs could carry her, she dashed back up the curved path, through the island forest and towards where the door had been. But there was nothing there. Nothing that is except for more forest, stretching onwards, darkening with creepy shadows and shapes and blood-curling silhouettes that moved without hesitation. “Get Her,” hissed  a voice behind her!